Prevent cracks in ends?

[Joe Shinall]

I got some pecan, cherry, and cedar from a guy that has a chainsaw mill for trade for some old fence that I took down. Really nice stuff, 1-3 inches thick. I am stickering it to dry but when I got it some of the ends are split about 5 or 6 inches into the board. Should I cut these sections off right past the crack and put anchor seal on them or something?

Some are split all the way down so I am just leaving them and I will just get smaller boards out of the 2 sides on these.

I have air dried lumber before but usually had anchor seal on the ends as soon as they were cut and these did not.

And these piles are not setup properly, just stacked for a day or two like this so I can clear a spot for their permament location, it has been raining for a few days.

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[Brian Kincaid]

Anchor seal is recommended a lot, I have always used a generous helping of latex paint. Some boards are going to crack (check) during drying anyway. The point of the paint is to block the capillaries to try to avoid the end from drying out too fast. When the board dries evenly end checking is minimized.

I wouldn't cut the checked ends off. I'd just leave them until the board is dried (unless the board is too long to stack evenly).

-Brian

[John Schweikert]

Anchorseal reduces checking but it won't 100% eliminate it. So cutting the ends off and resealing isn't a failsafe method either. You'll lose board length. Reseal the ends you have, stack and sticker them, cover the top to keep rain off and allow plenty of air flow around the stack. You can get an inexpensive moisture meter from Amazon and chart the progress if you're ever bored.

I have 400-500 bd ft of walnut stacked in a shelter in my backyard. Trees that I had cut down on my lot and a portable mill came out and cut it up for me. Anchorseal has helped the ends but there is probably still some checking after the fact.

[Tom Walz]

http://tomthesawyer.net/Handling_logs_and_lumber.html

[Mark Bolton]

Some are split all the way down

Something to remember when a freshly sawn board splits along its entire length is that tree likely has some pretty serious tension. It often happens when sawing trees that are leaning heavily, when trying to saw up big limbs, or even sometimes if a tree has fallen and laid across a gap or with one end off the ground for a long time. Ive not sawn much pecan or cedar but its something to keep in mind and watch for when you do use the lumber.

[Joe Shinall]

Thanks guys. As I stated I have air dried before so I am familiar with how to sticker and to keep it out of the sunlight, rain, etc..

I have a covered lean to off my shop where I do this so it is open all the way around to allow air flow and covered to prevent the elements from getting to them.

Just didn't know if I should cut the ends for the anchor seal but looks like I shouldn't. Some of them are split all the way down the middle end to end with just a thread holding them together. i think those may have been the pith.

Thanks for the recommendations and Tom, thanks for the reading material.

[Joe Shinall]

Something to remember when a freshly sawn board splits along its entire length is that tree likely has some pretty serious tension. It often happens when sawing trees that are leaning heavily, when trying to saw up big limbs, or even sometimes if a tree has fallen and laid across a gap or with one end off the ground for a long time. Ive not sawn much pecan or cedar but its something to keep in mind and watch for when you do use the lumber.

Mark, that is good to know. I did not think about the fact that they could have been under stress. I remember him saying that 2 of the cherry trees were leaning over his driveway. Those are the ones that are split all the way down.

[Mark Bolton]

Mark, that is good to know. I did not think about the fact that they could have been under stress. I remember him saying that 2 of the cherry trees were leaning over his driveway. Those are the ones that are split all the way down.

Still good lumber, looks like a nice haul. Just keep a heads up when you start making stuff.

[Joe Shinall]

Still good lumber, looks like a nice haul. Just keep a heads up when you start making stuff.

Is stuff like that known to move any after it's dry?

[Art Kieres]

It could certainly move more when sawing... be careful if you rip with a tablesaw, bandsaw would be the way to go to be safe... I'm not sure about pecan, but I've had big maple and walnut boards do insane things during sawing even when fully dry. An 8/4 maple board once warped up and then crossed over it's partner half, weirdest thing I've ever seen, looked like crossed fingers. Also, I like the Joe of all trades thing.

[Mark Bolton]

Is stuff like that known to move any after it's dry?

If your just air drying it can. What you would likely want to do is of course sticker and air dry, then bring into shop, sticker, dry/acclimate more. Then when you are ready to mill you would want to follow the practice of milling oversize, allowing to dry/acclimate again, then mill to final size.

There is a lot that goes into stable wood beginning with good trees, followed by a good sawyer who knows how to cut as much of the tension out of the wood as possible while its on the mill, then of course with kiln drying there is a whole realm of science involved. You'll just want to be a little more patient with your process as each time you move the wood, and remove some of the wood, it may move a bit.

[Cody Colston]

If the wood is already checked on the ends, I would leave it as-is. If you cut the checks off to seal the ends, it might just check some more...even when Anchorsealed. If the wood is dried to the middle of the EMC range it will see in use, that will limit the seasonal movement. Indoors, that would be around 8% - 10% in Savannah Georgia.

[Joe Shinall]

Also, I like the Joe of all trades thing.

Thanks Art, I printed up some tshirts a while back with that slogan ;)

I usually rip on the bandsaw before the tablesaw then joint and plane so that is a good thing. Thanks for the tips!

[Joe Shinall]

Thanks Mark and Cody for the tips as well. Cody, 12% is the best I can get lumber down here in the humidity. I air dried walnut and maple one time. 1" thick for well over a year. It got down to 12% outside and wouldn't go any lower so I took it inside and shelfed it for a good 6 months. Still at 12% when I used it. Some if it is still sitting on my shelf, a year later and has not dropped below 12. That's over 2.5 years and still 12%.